Belgium

In Belgium the implementation of the CAP - as the agricultural and rural development in general - is a regional responsibility. The situation in Flanders and Wallonia differs also as to these general country figures. That's why these general figures for Flanders and Wallonia will be presented as soon as possible in the next update of the website.

• General country description
• A. First pillar: implementation of CAP reforms (2003)
• B. Second pillar: implementation of RDP measures during 2007-2013
• C. Vision for the CAP beyond 2013: a short overview of the debate (at Member State level) on future CAP reform
• D. Literature, sources, references
• The comparative analysis provides a compact overview of CAP implementation across all 27 Member States and their visions of the future of the CAP

General country discription

Belgium
Comparison with EU-25

Population, 2005 (*1,000,000): 10.4

2.3% of population in EU-25

Population density, 2003 (inh./km2): 340

118 in EU-25

GDP/capita, 2005 (PPS): 27,600

118% of GDP/capita in EU-25

Share agriculture in total employment, 2002 (%): 2

5% in EU-25

Share Utilized Agricultural Area in total land area, 2003 (%): 46

46% in EU-25 in 1998

Average farm size, 2005 (ha): 28

19 in EU-15

Number of farms, 2005 (*1000): 49.5

0.8% of farms in EU-25

Source: own calculations based on Eurostat

Belgium
Flanders
Wallonia

Population, 2005 (*1,000,000): 10.4 1

6.0

3.4

Population density, 2003 (inh./km2): 340

443

200

GDP/capita, 2005 (PPS): 27,600

26,483 (2004)

19,340 (2004)

Share agriculture in total employment, 2002 (%): 2

2 (2003)

p.m.

Share Utilized Agricultural Area in total land area, 2003 (%): 46

47 (2005)

45 (2005)

Average farm size, 2005 (ha): 28

18

44

Number of farms, 2005 (*1000): 49.5

34.4

17.1

1) Of which 1 million inhabitants in Brussels. Sources: Institut wallon de l’évaluation, de la prospective et de la statistique (2006); Studiedienst van de Vlaamse regering (2006)

 

Distribution of farming types, 2005 (% of total): Belgium

Field crops

Horti-
culture

Perma-
nent crops

Dairy

Grazing livestock

Grani-
vores

Mixed cropping

Mixed livestock

Mixed crops- live-
stock

Other

16

8

4

14

31

7

2

5

12

0

Source: own calculations based on Eurostat

Distribution of farming types, 2005 (% of total): Flanders

Field crops

Horti-
culture

Perma-
nent crops

Dairy

Grazing livestock

Grani-
vores

Mixed cropping

Mixed livestock

Mixed crops- live-
stock

Other

15

18

0

14

21

8

20

4

0

0

Source: Vlaamse Overheid (2006)

Distribution of farming types, 2005 (% of total): Wallonia

Field crops

Horti-
culture

Perma-
nent crops

Dairy

Grazing livestock

Grani-
vores

Mixed cropping

Mixed livestock

Mixed crops- live-
stock

Other

18

0

0

15

24

9

0

14

14

7

Source: Ministerie van het Waalse Gewest van België (2005)

EU funding for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS)
and the second pillar, 2007-2013

* Funding according to CAP budget including Bulgaria and Romania.
Sources: Agra Europe (2007); CEU (2006); EC (2007a)

 

A. First pillar: implementation CAP reform (2003)

A.1 Single Payment Scheme

Model

SPS historical (EC, 2007b)

Coupling measures

Complete decoupling,except for suckler cows, slaughter premium meat calves (100% coupled), seeds (some species) (100% coupled), dairy premium in 2006.

Reason for selection

No information.

A.2 EU budget for Single Payment Scheme (SPS) per year (National ceiling) 2005-2013

Source: 2005: EC (2006); 2006-2013: CEU (2006) and Agra Europe (2007)

Share of the farms that receive SPS of the total number of farms (2005) (% of total)

No information.

Tradability of SPS

No information.

A.3 Cross-compliance: Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC)

Source: IEEP, 2005

Selected standards of the GAEC (Flanders)

Issue
Standards
Summary of farmers’ obligations

soil erosion

minimum land management reflecting site-specific conditions

1. Farmers must implement at least one appropriate measure from a list against erosion on parcels at high risk of erosion. Areas at high risk of erosion are fixed by the competent administration.
2. Rules for cover depend on the crop and its vulnerability to erosion.

soil organic matter

arable stubble management

no burning

 

EXTRA: measure soil organic matter and pH

annual measurement and depending on results corrective measures

protection of permanent pastures

 

Each farmer must maintain their individually assigned area of permanent pasture; no decrease accepted, probably related to manure surplusses

minimum level of maintenance

avoiding the encroachment of unwanted vegetation on agricultural land

Unwanted vegetation and undergrowth must be controlled especially thistle. Woody growth of more than 1.5 m must be managed by mowing or other appropriate measures. Uncultivated fields must be sown no later than 31 May. On plots used for non-agricultural purposes, soil cover must be managed in such a way to avoid the spread of weeds.
No profit making activities unconnected with agriculture on agricultural land.

Selected standards of the GAEC (Wallonia)

Issue
Standards
Summary of farmers' obligations

soil erosion

minimum land management reflecting site-specific conditions

Rules apply for arable parcels considered at risk of soil erosion. Restrictions for ploughing and root crops. Rules apply for grassed strips. No grazing or mowing after 1 July.

soil organic matter

arable stubble management

no burning

soil structure

Irrigated soil deficiencies must be corrected according to the last soil analysis results

annual measurement and depending on results corrective measures

protection of permanent pastures

 

Each farmer must maintain their individually assigned area of permanent pasture; no decrease accepted, probably related to manure surpluses

minimum level of maintenance

avoiding the encroachment of unwanted vegetation on agricultural land

Unwanted vegetation and undergrowth must be controlled especially thistle. Woody growth of more than 1.5 m must be managed by mowing or other appropriate measures. Uncultivated fields must be sown no later than 31 May. On plots used for non-agricultural purposes, soil cover must be managed in such a way to avoid the spread of weeds. No profit making activities unconnected with agriculture on agricultural land.

 

Belgium pays attention to all issues but soil structure; protection of permanent pasture is dictated by the excessive manure production.

Reason for selection of cross compliance standards

No information.

A.4 Further reform of market regulations

No information.

 

B. Second pillar: implementation of RDP measures 2007-2013

B.1 Programme level and approval

There is one national strategy and there are two regional RDPs (for Flanders and Wallonia). The Rural Development Committee (consisting of representatives of the 27 Member States) has approved the RDP for Flanders on 25 October 2007 and the RDP for Wallonia on 21 November 2007.

B.2 Distribution of public budget over the axes (%) 1)

 

axis 1: competitiveness

axis 2: environment and land management

axis 3: rural economy

Axis 4: Leader

Flanders

68

17

9

6

Wallonia

48

40

8

4

Figures excluding Technical Assistance
Source: own calculations based on Departement Landbouw en Visserij (2006); Gouvernement Wallon (2007)

B.3 Integration of Leader in axis 1, 2 and 3

In Flanders, Leader will only contribute to initiatives and measures of Axis 3. In Wallonia, Leader contributes to Axes 1 and 2 and especially to axis 3. In both regions, Leader should contribute to the improvement of new approaches to governance and to the mobilization of the endogenous development of local sources and actors.

B.4 Local Action Groups (LAGs)

In Flanders there is, at this moment, no exact information on the number of LAGs for the period 2007-2013. Each Flemish Provincial Management Committee can decide how many LAGs each Flemish Province can have. The total number of LAGs in Flanders is limited to 10 (Departement Landbouw en Visserij, 2007: 386). However the 5 existing Flemish LAGs will probably stay operational during the next period. In Wallonia, it is intended to create 15 LAGs, of which 60% should have been selected in the first programming period (2000-2006). In the previous period (2000-2006) there were 5 LAGs in Flanders and 15 LAGs in Wallonia.

B.5 RDP budget

RDP budget 2007-2013 (million euros)

 

total public budget

% co-financing EAFRD1)

EAFRD budget

Contribution private sector

Total costs

National top-ups

Flanders

667.6

34

224.5

1477.6

2145.2

40.9

Wallonia

477.0

41

194.1

898.4

1375.4

0

Belgium total

1144.6

 

418.6

2376.0

3520.6

 

 

1) % of co-financing may vary per axis.
Source: Departement Landbouw en Visserij (2007); Gouvernement Wallon (2007).

B.6 Less Favoured Areas

Flanders has designed 8,610 ha as Less Favoured Areas (LFA) eligible for payments (areas with environmental restrictions) (Departement Landbouw en Visserij, 2007: 171, 174). Wallonia has designed 232,660 ha as area with handicaps other than mountain areas and 22,000 ha as area with environmental restrictions (Gouvernement Wallon, 2007: 196, 203). This means a decrease compared to 2005, when 283,000 ha (21% of UAA) was designed as LFA (CEU, 2005).

B.7 Drivers of RDP strategy

Fit within national policy.
The RDP 2007-2013 for Flanders is written in accordance with the Flemish Reform Programme 2005-2008 (resulting from the Lisboa Strategy), the Flemish Action Plan for Organic Agriculture, the National Climate Plan 2002-2012, the Environmental Policy Plan 2003-2007 and the Flemish Action Plan for Sustainable Development. The RDP 2007-2013 for Wallonia is written in accordance with Action Plan for the Future of Wallonia and also in accordance with other regional (Wallonia) action plans.

 

C. Vision on the CAP beyond 2013*

C.1 Stages in the development of the CAP debate

Is there a debate about the CAP beyond 2013?

In Flanders such a debate has not yet been started.*

C.2 Key issues in the debate

No information.

* Information provided by Anneleen De Smedt, Minaraad van Vlaanderen.

D. Literature, sources, references

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